Research Guides: ENGL110 class page: Podcasts

Getting Started

Audio Guide
Covers resources and tips for creating audio projects and podcasts, including free and Library-provided tools.
Tools for Podcasting
Open textbook that covers all aspects of podcasting
Starting your podcast: A guide for students
A practical guide from NPR to help you get started developing a podcast

Creating your podcast

Creating a podcast or audio essay is not as simple as recording yourself reading a paper that you wrote for class. A successful podcast will engage listeners with a strong narrative, descriptive writing and quality audio. Plan ahead and start early. Have a focused message. Keep the audience in mind.

Use the podcast planning worksheet to think through the purpose, audience, structure and tone of your audio project and outline the structure and content.

Podcast Planning Worksheet [Google Doc]
You will be required to make a copy of the google doc.

Free Music Archive
A compilation of high quality legal downloads that you can use in your multimedia projects. Creative Commons license and attribution information provided. Try browsing the instrumental genre to find music to layer into your audio projects. You must create an account to download music.
Freesound
A collaborative database of sounds that are licensed under Creative Commons.
Jamendo
Explore a catalog of over 500,000 Creative Commons licensed songs. Browse different "communities" of tagged songs based on genre and mood. CC license info can be found on individual track pages by clicking the down arrow on the right side of the page. License conditions are displayed through gray symbols.
SoundBible
Creative Commons licensed and royalty-free sound effects
Incompetech
A collection of Creative Commons licensed music by Kevin MacLeod. Songs can be downloaded as MP3 and attributions are provided. Check out the music FAQ page to learn more about how you can use this music.
Internet Audio Archive
"This library contains recordings ranging from alternative news programming, to Grateful Dead concerts, to Old Time Radio shows, to book and poetry readings, to original music uploaded by users. Many of these audios and MP3s are available for free download."

To record audio with your own laptop, you will need two things:

Recording software

We recommend Audacity, which is free and works on Windows or Mac. Please refer to this guide for installing Audacity on your computer. For more on using Audacity, please see the Edit tab to the left.
Zoom is a great option for recording and you can edit different clips together in Audacity.

Microphone

If you have headphones with a built in mic, use that over your built-in computer mic.
If you record with your phone, make sure to have the phone close the speaker, otherwise the audio will sound farther away.
Borrow a Blue Yeti USB mic kit at the Student Multimedia Design Center on the lower level of Morris Library. Equipment is available for 3 day loans. To use the microphone, just plug it in with the supplied USB cable and choose it by name in Audacity.

Audacity

Audacity is a free, cross-platform audio recording and editing software.

Download Audacity for Windows and MacOS.
Download the FFmpeg library if you'll be importing m4a files (from Zoom or phone).

Audacity Tutorial
This self-paced tutorial includes short videos and directed practice to learn how to use Audacity to record, edit and mix an audio project.

Garageband

Garageband is a Mac only, free audio recording and editing software. It is different from Audacity in that it is more centered around creating music with free loops and software instruments built-in. However, it can be used for creating podcasts, and audio essays as well.

Garageband PDF guide
Covers the basics of Garageband (version 10.2.0)

When you're finished with your podcast, make sure to export it from the audio editing software to an MP3 file. Submit the MP3 file to Canvas or share an accessible Google Drive link to download it.

ENGL110 class page

Getting Started

Creating your podcast

Recording software

Microphone

Audacity

Garageband

Code Switch by NPR

Radiolab by WYNC Studios

Science Vs by Gimlet

Ologies by Alie Ward